The French government said on Friday that it will not ban Singapore-based online retailer Shein while authorities investigate allegations of illegal items being sold on the platform. Paris said Shein had removed the disputed products and remains under close observation by state authorities, while legal proceedings continue.
A government review reportedly found no evidence that Shein was selling items such as child pornography, stabbing weapons or certain medicines. Shein, founded in Nanjing, China, in 2008, relocated its headquarters to Singapore in 2022.
The platform drew public outrage in France after listings for sex dolls described as childlike were discovered. Shein said it had sanctioned the seller, banned the sale of sex dolls on its site and temporarily suspended all third-party listings. French officials urged the European Union to consider sanctions over the listings and had threatened a ban unless the company complied with regulations.
In the same week France took steps to suspend the site, Shein opened its first permanent physical store in Paris’s BHV Marais department store — an opening met with a petition that collected more than 120,000 signatures.
Separately, EU and national consumer authorities are investigating Shein’s marketing practices for potential breaches of EU consumer law, and the company has faced criticism from environmental groups over its fast-fashion business model.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar